tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29802771399714332822018-02-21T03:00:03.006-08:00Spencer MichaudSpencer Michaudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00325805919746547881noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980277139971433282.post-31021387828952597702017-09-18T14:39:00.000-07:002017-09-18T14:39:32.046-07:00TRANSPARENT MARKETING 101: Spencer's Ann Arbor Rec & Ed Guitar Classes EditionTRANSPARENT MARKETING 101: Spencer's Ann Arbor Rec &amp; Ed BEGINNING GUITAR Class Edition<br /><br />STEP 1: CREATE RAPPORT: You know what really frustrates me? Learning complicated things on my own without a solid accountability partner. : ( Anyone else ever feel that way? Especially musical instruments, man I remember when those strings really used hurt my fingers &amp; I just always felt overwhelmed with the gap between my ability level &amp; my taste...that SUCKED! Would have been nice to have someone friendly show me the way, am I right?<br /><br />STEP 2: OFFER BENEFITS: Well, after years of patience and practice, (and, yes, a few helpful teachers) I have somewhat managed to acquire a few callouses, learn some useful techniques and somewhat close that gap. Now I want to help you do the same. Together we can learn the fundamentals of guitar from the ground up, including strumming technique, chord shapes and basic music theory that will have you playing your favorite songs in no time. We also focus on how to practice and help you overcome common roadblocks you may encounter along the way.<br /><br />STEP 3: TIME PRESSURE: Our first class starts ONE WEEK FROM TODAY on Monday 9/25 at 6pm at Pioneer high school. TIME IS RUNNING OUT!<br /><br />STEP 4: PERCEPTION OF SCARCITY: Less than 10 slots left in my BEGINNING GUITAR CLASS! Make sure you grab your spot while you still can!<br /><br />STEP 5: ASK FOR THE SALE: Click the link below to sign up today!!!<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://apm.activecommunities.com/aareced/Activity_Search/guitar-instruction-beginning/46610">https://apm.activecommunities.com/aareced/Activity_Search/guitar-instruction-beginning/46610</a><br /><br /><br /><br />TRANSPARENT MARKETING 101: Spencer's Ann Arbor Rec &amp; Ed CONTINUING GUITAR Class Edition<br /><br />STEP 1: CREATE RAPPORT: You know, after I'd been playing guitar for a few years, it felt like I hit a plateau in my playing! I mean, I wanted to practice more, but it was hard to find a legit reason to put the time in. School, work, &amp; family always seemed to take priority, I mean life is busy!&nbsp; Friends would tell me that they'd want to “jam,” but it never seemed to go anywhere PRODUCTIVE. You feel me?<br /><br />STEP 2: OFFER BENEFITS: Well, I hear you, and I want to help. Join me for a supportive group environment for the intermediate guitarist. Continue to build your skills, learn theory &amp; add different songs to your music repertoire while you practice and improve your technique. This semester's theme is Folk / Americana, so get ready to finger pick &amp; alternate some bass lines!<br /><br />STEP 3: TIME PRESSURE: Our first class starts ONE WEEK FROM TODAY on Monday 9/25 at 7:15pm at Pioneer high school. TIME IS RUNNING OUT!<br /><br />STEP 4: PERCEPTION OF SCARCITY: Less than 10 slots left in my CONTINUING GUITAR CLASS! Make sure you grab your spot while you still can!<br /><br />STEP 5: ASK FOR THE SALE: Click the link below to sign up today!!!<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://apm.activecommunities.com/aareced/Activity_Search/guitar-instruction-continuing/46611">https://apm.activecommunities.com/aareced/Activity_Search/guitar-instruction-continuing/46611</a>Spencer Michaudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00325805919746547881noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980277139971433282.post-28143531126770848172017-01-20T13:46:00.000-08:002017-01-20T13:47:44.125-08:00Polar Vortex Songwriting Game #4: Nasty Woman<div class="sc-type-small"><div>Polar Vortex Songwriting Game Demo <a href="https://soundcloud.com/tags/4">#4</a>: Nasty Woman. This track is intended to support the brave folks marching on Washington and across the country to protest the incoming administration.<br /><br /><br /><iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/303715015&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;visual=true" width="100%"></iframe> <br /><br />Nasty Woman<br />Spencer Michaud<br /><br />C7 F7<br /><br />Verse 1:<br /><br />I got a suitcase, a great big sign<br />A little magic marker, and a lot on my mind<br />Kissin' my baby, but it's a short goodbye<br />I got a greyhound ticket, gotta be on time<br /><br />Chorus:<br /><br />I'm a nasty woman<br />And I'm on the attack<br />Keep your hands off my pussy<br />Cause the pussy bites back<br /><br />Verse 2:<br /><br />We got a long trip, come and share my seat<br />Tell me bout the struggle, &amp; your hopes &amp; your dreams<br />It's been a hard road, our history<br />But we're gonna send a message to the powers that be<br /><br />Chorus:<br /><br />I'm a nasty woman<br />And I'm on the attack<br />Keep your hands off my pussy<br />Cause the pussy bites back<br /><br />Verse 3:<br /><br />L.G.B.T<br />Whatever your race, religion or creed<br />Mothers &amp; Brothers &amp; Sisters &amp; Cousins<br />We gotta join hands, march with me<br /><br />Chorus:<br /><br />I'm a nasty woman<br />And I'm on the attack<br />Keep your hands off my pussy<br />Cause the pussy bites back<br /><br />I'm a nasty woman<br />And I'm on the attack<br />Keep your hands off my pussy<br />Cause the pussy bites back</div></div>Spencer Michaudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00325805919746547881noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980277139971433282.post-13863202771796791672017-01-11T10:46:00.001-08:002017-01-11T10:46:56.852-08:00Songwriting 101: A Tale of Two Songs - PVSG #2 & #3As the winter months continue to trudge along, I am still wrestling my muse into committing to write a song &amp; post it every two weeks. This years Polar Vortex Songwriting Game is quite an exercise in mental discipline &amp; a lesson in learning to pace yourself. These past few weeks,&nbsp; I have experienced two distinct sides of the creative coin and would like to share my process and what I've learned from both approaches.<br /><br /><b>Approach #1</b>: <i>The Creative Binge meets the Perfectionist</i><br /><br /><b>Burn You Empire Down - PVSG#2</b><br /><br /><iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/298537338&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;visual=true" width="100%"></iframe> <br /><br />One of my habits thus far as an artist, has been to go for long stretches without creating anything &amp; then just completely binging on the process. I'll get so obsessed with an idea or a song, that it will be very difficult for me to sleep, eat or concentrate on<i> anything</i> else. I gorge myself on the music and wake up a few days later completely spent and disorientated. Sometimes there is a wonderful song laying next to me, but often times it is surrounded by collateral life damage. This process is often painful and can make it difficult to rouse yourself for the next go around. I will admit there is a certain joy in losing your sense of time &amp; space in your art, but it doesn't come with out consequences.<br /><br />For the PVSG challenge #2, I suggested that we write a song based on the Lydian mode. Which I won't go too far into here, but basically Lydian is: <i>a</i> <i>mode of the major scale based on shifting the tonal center to the fourth note. </i>Basically you reorder the scale and start with the fourth note, while keeping the same notes. This allows you hear a different "color" to the major scale. You can also think of Lydian mode as having a sharped 4th note in comparison to it's <i>parallel</i> major scale. So for example if you had a C major scale: C D E F G A B C, it's fourth mode is F Lydian which starts on F: F G A B C D E F. Same notes, different tonal center. In comparison to an F Major (Ionian) you have a sharped 4th note: F Major: F G A <i>Bb</i> C D E F. The C Lydian scale, (which is parallel to C Major) is C D E <i>F#</i> G A B C. See how the 4th note is raised a half step?<br /><br />Anyway...needless to say, this was not your run of the mill challenge.&nbsp; We often start with a lyric phrase &amp; this time we started with a musical constraint. I ended up writing a song that started out in Lydian, but I think it ended up in the Mixolydian mode, which is a mode based on shifting the tonal center to the 5th note in the scale. Still with me? Lol. I think my take away here with out getting into another huge theory lesson is this:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>*Sometimes you can start with one idea and it morphs into another one*</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">That is perfectly ok when writing a song. The prompts are just there to get your juices flowing, or in this case to shake you out of a comfort zone. The lyrics in this case were inspired by recent frustrations with current events:<br /><i><br /></i><i>F# E</i><br /><br /><i>Camera obscura<br />Reverse reality<br />Look through the pin-hole<br />See what you want to see<br />Stick your head in the ground<br />Cover up your ears until there's no sound</i><br /><br /><i>D E F#</i><br /><br /><i>But, <br />We are going to burn your empire down<br />We are going to burn your empire down</i><br /><br /><i>F# E</i><br /><br /><i>White wash the rainbows<br />Sanitize the screams<br />Muzzle the newsmen<br />So your echo will agree<br />Wear the hat on your head<br />Crimson fashioned from the dead</i><br /><br /><i>D E F#</i><br /><br /><i>But,<br />We are going to burn your empire down<br />We are going to burn your empire down</i><br /><br /><i>D E C#m D | D E Bm (x2)</i><br /><br /><i>Give me your tired<br />Give me your poor<br />Your huddled masses <br />Yearning to breathe free</i><br /><i>The wretched refuse<br />Of your teeming shore<br />Send these the homeless<br />Tempest-tossed to me</i><br /><br /><i>F# E</i><br /><br /><i>Tear gas the sacred<br />Firehouse the free<br />Bulldoze the brilliant<br />Laugh at liberty<br />Take a good look around<br />Cause we're coming for your <br />Scarecrow's crown</i><br /><br /><i>D E F#</i><br /><br /><i>And,<br />We are going to burn your empire down<br />We are going to burn your empire down</i><br /><i>We will lift our lamp beside the golden door<br />We will lift our lamp beside the golden door</i><br /><br />The bridge actually is the sonnet that is written on the Statue of Liberty, which I thought created a nice contrast to the darkness of the verses. A little contrast in a song can go a long way! One concept I am working with lately is that of "Song Seeds". I learned this from a Berklee songwriting book by Mark Simos called; <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Songwriting-Strategies-360-Degree-Approach-Music/dp/087639151X">"Songwriting Strategies: A 360 degree Approach"</a>.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jaoy3ers4Lg/WHZt5OyLmjI/AAAAAAAAApc/OSJ49r99-Aw1ZoWX6w5IygZPmLjkPx56wCLcB/s1600/Songwriting%2B360%2Bimage.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jaoy3ers4Lg/WHZt5OyLmjI/AAAAAAAAApc/OSJ49r99-Aw1ZoWX6w5IygZPmLjkPx56wCLcB/s320/Songwriting%2B360%2Bimage.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><br />The idea in essence is to "capture" small snippets of inspiration in their rawest form without adding unnecessary filler.&nbsp; In this song the "seed" was a quote I had heard somewhere about seeing life through a pin-hole camera. I wrote it down and left it alone until inspiration hit. Later I was able to form that lyric idea into a concept about the current state of things. </div><br />The recording process I used for this song was interesting as well. I'm in pretty deep with Apple products at this point, but they are coming out with some pretty good tools for songwriters. I just down loaded the new <a href="http://www.apple.com/music-memos/">Music Memos App</a> for iOS and have been enjoying hearing my tracks with simple drums and bass added to it by the program. For this track, I recorded the initial guitar track into Music Memos, kept the bass track it generated and then exported all of that to <a href="http://www.apple.com/mac/garageband/">Garageband</a>. Initially this was working fine, but I found that I needed some of the advanced features of <a href="http://www.apple.com/logic-pro/">Logic Pro</a> and upgraded to it's new X version.<br /><br />Now Garageband works great if you are looking for a streamlined process, the new "smart drummer" feature is incredible for songwriters.&nbsp; It basically will take fully adjustable prerecorded samples from a number of real drummers and match them to your track, tempo and all. Pretty cool:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SSdROCZMfdg/WHZv4olV1CI/AAAAAAAAApk/8jUGhMsQ2GQS_UxzdRU1ShK7b0JuNYm_ACLcB/s1600/drummer%2Bimage.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SSdROCZMfdg/WHZv4olV1CI/AAAAAAAAApk/8jUGhMsQ2GQS_UxzdRU1ShK7b0JuNYm_ACLcB/s400/drummer%2Bimage.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br />If want the "supercharged" version of this with more adjustable features, try Logic Pro X.&nbsp; For <i>Burn Your Empire Down</i>, I used a prerecorded drummer named Logan, basically a classic rock type of sound. I then rerecorded my guitar track into Logic, recorded an electric part &amp; then recorded a vocal take over top of all of that. For the outro, I had my daughter and my lady record multiple takes singing the same line for a large chorus effect.<br /><br />All in all this was recorded very intensively over the course of three days. A lot for what was intended to be a simple demo. I am by no means a sound engineer and this is where I usually get tripped up, trying to "mix" without really knowing what I'm doing. I will say that Youtube is an amazing reference for figuring things out though, pretty much any question you have with programs like this have been answered at some point on the site.<br /><br />While I am happy experimenting with new tools and sounds, the creative "binge" left me drained and leery of doing it again in another week. Which brings us to:<br /><br /><b>Approach #2</b>: <i>The John Lennon "Instant Karma" Method</i><br /><br /><b>A Very Long Year -PVSG#3</b><br /><br /><iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/301542205&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;visual=true" width="100%"></iframe> <br /><br />One of my favorite music documentaries is the Classic Albums series that originally aired on VH1. My ultimate favorite one might be the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Classic-Albums-John-Lennon-Plastic/dp/B0015UKX6U"><i><span class="sims-lpo-header-title">John Lennon - Plastic Ono Band</span></i></a><span class="sims-lpo-header-title"> episode. In it, they reveal all of the inspiration and studio techniques that went into the now seminal recording. By the time John Lennon had left the Beatles, he had tired of the endless studio revisions that the late-Beatles were known for doing in the studio process. While that might have produced some amazing work, it seemed like the creative binge had worn John out and left him looking for a more immediate experience in the studio.&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span class="sims-lpo-header-title">In a story about the recording of "Instant Karma" they tell of John going in, recording a take or two, getting a "quick mix" and then taking that as the master &amp; leaving...no long hours in the studio mixing to death, no mastering engineer, just a "quick mix" released to the world....instant karma, instant song: </span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EqP3wT5lpa4/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EqP3wT5lpa4?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div><br /><br />For this past weeks song challenge, I took the John Lennon approach.<i> </i>After the holidays &amp; my previous creative binge, I didn't have the time or the energy to engage with the process the same way again. We were given the prompt: <i>The Vanishing Note. </i>I had a concept seed about paying tribute to all the creative heroes that passed in 2016, but it sat dormant until a day before the deadline. At that point, my impending guilt about not doing it kicked in and I banged out a tune:<br /><br /><i>A Very Long Year </i><br /><br /><i>G D Em C</i><br /><br /><i>One day my facebook feed<br />Started to bleed<br />As a black star <br />Fell from the sky</i><br /><i>All my hero raised hands <br />To form heavens band<br />A hallelujah and then a goodbye</i><br /><br /><i>G B7 Am C | G D C G | C G D7</i><br /><br /><i>When Earth, Wind &amp; Fire all volunteer<br />Their voices get higher and harder to hear<br />The vanishing notes get stuck in my throat<br />It's been a very long year</i><br /><br /><i>G D Em C</i><br /><br /><i>Sometimes life floats like a butterfly<br />Sometimes it stings like a bee<br />Sometimes it cops your golden ticket <br />To the chocolate factory</i><br /><i>But you were such a naughty monkey<br />When you stole the purple rain<br />Unplugged the jukebox<br />And sentenced my faith</i><br /><br /><i>G B7 Am C | G D C G | C G D7</i><br /><br /><i>When Earth, Wind &amp; Fire all volunteer<br />Their voices get higher and harder to hear<br />The vanishing notes get stuck in my throat<br />It's been a very long year</i><br /><br /><i>B7 C C#dim D7</i><br /><br /><i>Every eagle flies free<br />Every mockingbird dies<br />Every Starman returns to the sky</i><br /><br /><i>G D Em C</i><br /><br /><i>So toast an Arnold Palmer<br />To the growing pains<br />Cause I'll still rebel<br />Without a princess to save</i><br /><br /><i>G B7 Em C | G D C G | C G</i><br /><br /><i>But if Earth, Wind &amp; Fire ask me to volunteer<br />Will my voice get higher and harder to hear<br />Will my vanishing notes get stuck in your throat<br />It's been a very long year</i><br /><br />Having no time to be a perfectionist about it,<i> </i>I sat down, got out Music Memos on my phone &amp; recorded it in one take. No revisions, no overdubs, just the raw experience of it. I dumped that into Logic, gave it a quick EQ tweak and off it went. The whole recording process took about an hour as opposed to the three day endeavor with the previous song.<br /><br />Which method is the "right" one? Hard to say. It's going to vary for each individual and even for each song. Each method gets you in touch with a different facet of your own personal creativity. I think in the end, balance is the key. The right answer is somewhere in the middle. Pace yourself. Show up for your art. Keep making it, give yourself more and more opportunities to hit the mark. I will leave you with on of my favorite quotes by Ira Glass:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">“Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is <b>do a lot of work</b>. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through.”</span></i></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">&lt;3&nbsp;</span></i></span> <br /><i><br /></i>-Spencer<i><br /></i><br /><i><br /></i><i><br /></i><i><br /></i><br />Spencer Michaudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00325805919746547881noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980277139971433282.post-44098405114990335152016-12-08T10:08:00.002-08:002016-12-08T10:08:58.885-08:00Songwriting 101: The Streetfighter vs. The Kung Fu Master - The Case for Learning Music TheoryImagine you are walking down a dark ally.&nbsp; Suddenly, you are attacked from some unseen foe in the shadows. A right, then a left, blows are coming seemingly from everywhere. You try to make out the shapes, but your vision is hazy. Swinging wildly, you flail in your assailants general direction, you land a punch or two, but eventually fatigue takes over and you fall, bruised and battered, face down on the unforgiving pavement.<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j09o8cH2nM4/WEly0LPqvlI/AAAAAAAAAlY/2G8EcwhtPwErLeoZioUG_NgfMc64mRb0QCLcB/s1600/a_night__under_de_rain__in_a_dark_alley_by_tunguska_rdm-d97vhh3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j09o8cH2nM4/WEly0LPqvlI/AAAAAAAAAlY/2G8EcwhtPwErLeoZioUG_NgfMc64mRb0QCLcB/s320/a_night__under_de_rain__in_a_dark_alley_by_tunguska_rdm-d97vhh3.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Dark Alley of the Mind</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />Sometimes songwriting can be like a street fight. Ideas come from shadowy places, the depths of our subconscious rise up and demand attention. Your intuition and ear can help you land a few hay makers here and there, but more often than not, we inevitably come to a point of exhaustion &amp; stagnation. That one chord just doesn't seem right, we search for just the right note to express a complex feeling, but it keep eluding us; enter music theory.<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--obgc9R9Md8/WElyKto8nXI/AAAAAAAAAlU/oSbS1Y0VR1wgcSllIsz0rkLZ_8qVDgFlQCLcB/s1600/bruce%2Blee.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--obgc9R9Md8/WElyKto8nXI/AAAAAAAAAlU/oSbS1Y0VR1wgcSllIsz0rkLZ_8qVDgFlQCLcB/s400/bruce%2Blee.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Music Theory: Tools of the Master</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Like Bruce Lee, or any master of Kung Fu, every movement, every action has purpose. Theory and practice become the tools by which you train your intuition into becoming more efficient. Instead of flailing around trying to find your next chord / note / line / rhythm, you can draw upon your accumulated conscious knowledge to help you move through the block &amp; express your emotional idea faster, smarter and more accurately. Ultimately even a small amount of theory knowledge can lead to less creative burn out and more productivity. Do you have to leave your intuition behind? Absolutely not. Great songwriters find balance between making concepts conscious &amp; exploring the mystery.<br /><br />Another way of thinking about it is the concept of The Mid-Wife &amp; The Sculptor.&nbsp; Sensitive artists, to birth a great song, must be like a mid-wife. We must be an open channel, able to receive inspiration from our intuition &amp; from the world around us. Once we have received the unrefined inspiration, Music Theory and technique then become the tools by which we can sculpt that raw material into a great work of art. Both approaches are necessary and it can be quite a delicate balancing act moving from intuition to consciousness.<br /><br />So, where do you start? Well, in my college songwriting classes I have tried to simplify basic harmonic music theory into what I find the most useful. To me it breaks down like this:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Intervals -&gt; Scales -&gt; Chords -&gt; Progressions</span></div><br />Intervals are the defined as the distance between notes, basically the building blocks of western music. We can measure these distances in <i>steps</i> or <i>tones.</i><br /><br /><i>Half Step = Semitone (</i>1 fret on the guitar<i>)</i><br /><i>Whole Step = Whole Tone (</i>2 frets on the guitar<i>)</i><br /><br />Here is what <i>Whole Tones</i> &amp; <i>Semitones </i>look like on a piano:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LeiLBNEAMGg/WEl5tMH5I9I/AAAAAAAAAl4/n-7-HBBzAP0c4IZcMZmOEpJEcozKTEy1gCLcB/s1600/Piano_tones.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LeiLBNEAMGg/WEl5tMH5I9I/AAAAAAAAAl4/n-7-HBBzAP0c4IZcMZmOEpJEcozKTEy1gCLcB/s320/Piano_tones.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br />When we arranges these Intervals into certain patterns we get <i>Scales. </i>In western music, whether it be classical or pop, the <i>major scale</i> is the foundation upon which everything else is built. It's pattern goes like this:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">W W H W W W H&nbsp;</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">In our scale, the W's are whole steps or whole tones &amp; the H's are half steps or semitones. </span></span></div><br />Here's how it works if you start with C:<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eKbCUkDXois/WEmAEGeuG5I/AAAAAAAAAmQ/WexlVtl_EDkLjRMsNL2fmvg_b82DVu5hwCLcB/s1600/CMajScale.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="71" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eKbCUkDXois/WEmAEGeuG5I/AAAAAAAAAmQ/WexlVtl_EDkLjRMsNL2fmvg_b82DVu5hwCLcB/s400/CMajScale.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />The first note in the scale is called the <i>Root </i>or the <i>Tonic </i>and the last note is called the <i>Octave</i>. Scales go in alphabetical order using just the letters A -&gt; G. Basically if you get to G, you start over again on A.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I would be remiss if I didn't explain another essential factor when creating a scale; <i>accidentals</i>. An accidental is a way of adjusting a note by a half step up or down:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-viu4-Beewo8/WEmDHuNP7aI/AAAAAAAAAmg/zL4j1touOgc_J63QEassr_UY4YOw3m7AQCLcB/s1600/accidental-table.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-viu4-Beewo8/WEmDHuNP7aI/AAAAAAAAAmg/zL4j1touOgc_J63QEassr_UY4YOw3m7AQCLcB/s320/accidental-table.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Say you have a C and you want to raise it a half step, well you would add a sharp (#) to it to get C#, if you wanted to continue on and raise the note another half step, you would get D. If you put two half steps together you a whole step:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">C h C# h D</span></div><div style="text-align: center;">\&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; /<br />W</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This concept is essential to creating scales, as it determines which tones are used within the various keys.&nbsp; One thing to keep in mind is that there are two musical letters that only have a half step between them, they are:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">B h C &amp; E h F</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">You can see this phenomenon represented on the piano with the absence of two black keys:</span> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BGN2O5cwS10/WEmEwRlDwfI/AAAAAAAAAmo/ec0zBHoqssoGX6ExJUN_0AffA0-yBsbbwCLcB/s1600/4-theory-piano-bcef.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="107" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BGN2O5cwS10/WEmEwRlDwfI/AAAAAAAAAmo/ec0zBHoqssoGX6ExJUN_0AffA0-yBsbbwCLcB/s400/4-theory-piano-bcef.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>A little mnemonic device to help you remember this rule:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Why is there only a half step between B &amp; C / E &amp; F?</span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>B</b>ecause <b>C</b>ats - <b>E</b>at <b>F</b>ish&nbsp;</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Once we understand how scales are created, we can move on to harmonizing the scale into <i>chords</i> or playing 2 or more notes together. The most useful type of chord for songwriting is called a <i>Triad</i>. A triad is basically 3 notes, usually from a parent scale, played at the same time.&nbsp; Triads are built from the combination of two intervals called <i>Thirds</i>. It's important to distinguish between these very similar sounding words:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Thirds = Intervals</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">Triads = Chords</span>&nbsp; </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">There are two basic types of Thirds that we use to build chords and four basic Triads that we see often in <i>Diatonic Harmony</i>, which is defined as building chords using <b>only</b> notes from the corresponding scale. Here are the two basic thirds:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Major Third = 2 Whole Steps&nbsp; (W&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: large;">W)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">Minor Third = 1.5 Steps (W h)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">If we reference our C Major scale above, we can see that the interval distance between the first (C) &amp; third (E) note in the scale is 2 whole steps or a <i>Major Third. </i>There are thirds<i> </i>through out the major scale. For instance the distance between the third (E) &amp; fifth (G) note of the C Major scale is 1.5 Steps or a <i>Minor Third</i>.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here are all the thirds in the Key of C Major:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mQ7HuUVjyR8/WEmWCstfk4I/AAAAAAAAAnI/QcgJomTPgBQXA8a2NkYj70dKpErJ4IyWQCLcB/s1600/thirds%2Bin%2BC.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mQ7HuUVjyR8/WEmWCstfk4I/AAAAAAAAAnI/QcgJomTPgBQXA8a2NkYj70dKpErJ4IyWQCLcB/s400/thirds%2Bin%2BC.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Thirds</i> are the building blocks for <i>Triads. </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p1MiU2-pzFo/WEmYMUpooyI/AAAAAAAAAnU/1rxh2fLY1gciDUW7bnuXkia6mbBtlQ4KACLcB/s1600/4%2BTriads.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-p1MiU2-pzFo/WEmYMUpooyI/AAAAAAAAAnU/1rxh2fLY1gciDUW7bnuXkia6mbBtlQ4KACLcB/s400/4%2BTriads.jpeg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Here's where it really starts to get interesting from a songwriting point of view. One of the most useful techniques you can use for writing songs is learning how to harmonize a major scale into Triads. The basic idea is that you can build a 3 note chord starting on <i>any </i>note in the scale not just the first note<i>.</i> Here is a C Major scale harmonized into Triads using Thirds:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fyHf4qTMy08/WEmZm_c3geI/AAAAAAAAAnc/zrAQiVPavfAhCGRVBlpeOXDjBF8UVoTbgCLcB/s1600/TriadsOnMajorScales.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fyHf4qTMy08/WEmZm_c3geI/AAAAAAAAAnc/zrAQiVPavfAhCGRVBlpeOXDjBF8UVoTbgCLcB/s400/TriadsOnMajorScales.gif" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The Triads (chords) are most often represented with roman numerals, with Major Triads being upper case &amp; the minor triads being lower case. The diminished chord that is created from the seventh note in the scale has a little degree symbol next to lower case letters.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The cool thing about Diatonic chords (built only with notes from the scale) is that the quality of each chord stays the same no matter what the key is as long as it has the same <i>function (</i>roman numeral<i>). </i>For example, the I chord is always Major, and the ii chord is always minor. Here is a short cut for every Major ke<i>y:</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0_4e16a_z48/WEmbd-ImjII/AAAAAAAAAnk/73u4gB5TAfgFQfvGboHEYS6emvwXX8NggCLcB/s1600/chord-qualities.001-e1441134087340.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="231" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0_4e16a_z48/WEmbd-ImjII/AAAAAAAAAnk/73u4gB5TAfgFQfvGboHEYS6emvwXX8NggCLcB/s320/chord-qualities.001-e1441134087340.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So how do you use this knowledge? Well,<i>&nbsp; </i>musicians use specific language to&nbsp; help them communicate musical ideas. For instance, if we wanted to communicate what chords to play we could communicate with roman numerals:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I vi IV V</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Which in the key of C Major would be the chord progression I: C vi: Am IV: F V: G. If you were to switch to a different key, say D Major, the I chord along with all the other roman numerals would shift: I: D vi: Bm IV: G V: A.&nbsp; This is called <i>Transposing. </i>Transposing a chord progression into a different key can be extremely helpful if you like the way the chords sound together, but needed to adjust the range of the song to fit your voice.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here is a chart of all the basic diatonic triads in all of the major keys:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fCEunjBwp6A/WEme_KIfKdI/AAAAAAAAAns/VNyy4NDRqfc1S2v_geQXXqjYucfinI43gCLcB/s1600/daintonic%2Bchords%2Ball%2Bkeys.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fCEunjBwp6A/WEme_KIfKdI/AAAAAAAAAns/VNyy4NDRqfc1S2v_geQXXqjYucfinI43gCLcB/s400/daintonic%2Bchords%2Ball%2Bkeys.jpeg" width="257" /></a></div><br />You can spend a lifetime properly exploring music theory, but even a moderate amount of basic knowledge can take your songwriting skills to the next level. Stop throwing punches in the dark and start down the path towards mastery. What are you waiting for? <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">: )</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">-Spencer</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">&nbsp;</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><br />Spencer Michaudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00325805919746547881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980277139971433282.post-67707881009386041802016-12-04T14:52:00.002-08:002016-12-04T14:52:24.500-08:00Polar Vortex Songwriting Game #1: Alone - (Inspired by Edgar Allen Poe)Two years ago, my friend &amp; fellow Ann Arbor songwriter <a href="http://mikevial.com/">Mike Vial</a> started, in the middle of a most heinous winter, what he dubbed the "Polar Vortex Songwriting Game". Basically a group of songwriters getting together online &amp; writing a song from a shared prompt each week. Well, we are back at it this winter and the new rules are a song every two weeks.<br /><br />The first assignment was to write a poem inspired by <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/46477">Edgar Allen Poe's poem "Alone"</a>,&nbsp; a dark meditation on the struggles of feeling like an outcast among the mainstream of society. For my entry into this weeks game, I took a fairly literal approach to using the poem. I changed the "I's" to "We" in an attempt to make the song more universal &amp; tap into the shared anxiety I and others have expressed over the current state of things.<br /><br /><iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/296202535&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;visual=true" width="100%"></iframe> <style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }</style> <br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />The song starts on a C#m chord and vacillates between an Aeolian and Dorian-style melody. I wanted to have some open strings ringing out to give an expansiveness to the song.<br /><br />I stuck faithfully to the Poe poem except for the chorus that I added. I have Mike Vial to thank for the "gaslight" line, as he had been kicking that word around for a few weeks in our political musings. : )<br /><br />For you aspiring songwriters out there, this song is a compilation of song "seeds" I had been catching for about two weeks. That can be a melody, a line, a chord progression or even just a concept. The idea is to try and "capture it" in it's purest form without feeling the need to develop it right away. That gives the seed time to mature in your subconscious and ensures that you are not adding unnecessary filler that you'd have to sift through later. Once you have let it percolate for a spell, you'll be itching to start adding to it, planting it in the fertile ground of your imagination &amp; using the conscious tools like music theory to help it take shape and blossom. <br /><br />Alone</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">(Verse 1)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">C#m F#</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">From Childhood's hour</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">We have not been</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">As others were</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">We have not seen</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">As others saw</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">We could not bring</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">A E F#</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Our passions</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">From a common spring</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">(Chorus 1)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">A E F#</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Pay a coin to chaos</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Cross the screams that made us</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Ferry me to waters calm</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Through the gaslight</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">We're the satellites</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Orbiting the world alone</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">(Verse 2)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">From the same source</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">We have not taken</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Our sorrow</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">We could not awaken</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Our heart to joy</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">At the same tone</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">And all we lov'd </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">We lov'd alone</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">(Chorus 2)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Pay a coin to chaos</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Cross the screams that made us</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Ferry me to waters calm</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Through the gaslight</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">We're the satellites</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Orbiting the world alone</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">C#m D#m E | F#m E B</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">(Bridge)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In our </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">childhood, In the dawn </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Of a stormy life was drawn</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Every </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">depth of good and ill </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The mystery binds us still</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">From the torrent, or the fountain </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">From the red cliff of the mountain</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">From the sun that round us rolled</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In it's autumn tint of gold</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">(Outro Chorus)</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">A E F#</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">From the the lightning in the sky</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">As it pass'd us flying by</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">From the thunder and the storm</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">And the cloud that took the form</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">When the rest of heaven blue</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Of a demon in our view</div>Spencer Michaudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00325805919746547881noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980277139971433282.post-47911984205204772632016-12-02T11:57:00.001-08:002016-12-02T11:59:01.960-08:00Live on Tree Town Sound 107.1FM A few weeks ago I was a last minute special guest on <a href="http://treetownsound.com/">Tree Town Sound w/ host Matthew Altruda</a> on <a href="http://www.annarbors107one.com/">Ann Arbor's 107.1FM</a>. Tree Town Sound is a local music show on Sunday nights that highlights all things musical going on in the Washtenaw County region &amp; is a big supporter of Michigan music.<br /><br />I reflected my recent trip to Chicago for the <a href="http://www.spencermichaud.com/2016/12/19th-annual-jeff-buckley-tribute-concert.html">19th Annual Jeff Buckley Tribute Concert</a>, performed my song The Spy as well as Instant Karma by John Lennon live on air in addition to making up a song about Jim Harbaugh! Witty banter ensued. : ) lol Check it out here:<br /><br />9:00 Jim Harbaugh Song<br />10:46 The Spy<br />17:59 Instant Karma<br /><br /><iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/295903555&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;visual=true" width="100%"></iframe> <br /><br />Here is a video of my cover of John Lennon's "Instant Karma": <br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rmgj7BQCQg4" width="560"></iframe> Spencer Michaudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00325805919746547881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980277139971433282.post-29468103681044754382016-12-02T11:36:00.002-08:002016-12-02T11:36:30.690-08:0019th Annual Jeff Buckley Tribute ConcertThis past November, I was fortunate enough to once again be asked to perform at the 19th Annual <a href="http://jeffbuckley.com/">Jeff Buckley</a> Tribute Concert held at <a href="http://uncommonground.com/">Uncommon Ground</a> in Chicago, IL.&nbsp; This year would have marked Jeff's 50th birthday and his mother Mary Guibert made a special effort to fly out the show!&nbsp; Fellow Ann Arbor artist <a href="http://mikevial.com/">Mike Vial</a> and I shared the adventure together and we had a wonderful time meeting all the incredibly talented artists paying tribute &amp; making new memories. : )<br /><br />Here is a video of my set: <br /><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mhMy5tl9bE#">1:03</a> Mojo Pin<br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mhMy5tl9bE#">7:59</a> Last Goodbye<br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mhMy5tl9bE#">15:34</a> I Want Someone Badly<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_mhMy5tl9bE/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="399" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_mhMy5tl9bE?feature=player_embedded" width="480"></iframe></span>&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7" style="background: #fff; border-radius: 3px; border: 0; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.5) , 0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: 99.375%;"><div style="padding: 8px;"><div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 62.5% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"><div style="background: url(data:image/png; display: block; height: 44px; margin: 0 auto -44px; position: relative; top: -22px; width: 44px;"></div></div><div style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BM5BhL2jItc/" style="color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Excited to be here in #chicago getting ready to play the 19th Annual Jeff Buckley Tribute show at @uncommongrd on the day before what would have been Jeff's 50th birthday! #jeffbuckley</a></div><div style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A photo posted by Spencer Michaud (@spencermichaud) on <time datetime="2016-11-17T00:22:57+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Nov 16, 2016 at 4:22pm PST</time></div></div></blockquote><script async="" defer="" src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script> <br /><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7" style="background: #fff; border-radius: 3px; border: 0; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.5) , 0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: 99.375%;"><div style="padding: 8px;"><div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50.0% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"><div style="background: url(data:image/png; display: block; height: 44px; margin: 0 auto -44px; position: relative; top: -22px; width: 44px;"></div></div><div style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BM62P93jYlE/" style="color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Such a wonderful experience playing at the 19th Annual Jeff Buckley Tribute @uncommongrd We were lucky enough to be in the company of Jeff's Mom, Mary Guibert, who regaled us with a beautiful story about how Jeff use to bring a comb with him everywhere, not to brush his hair, but to turn into a kazoo with a cigarette cellophane wrapper &amp; then proceed to cheer people up with his kazoo stylings. In a synchronous twist of fate, I had brought my kazoo and had planned to play it as a sax for my cover of "I Want Someone Badly". Best kazoo audience I have ever had. : ) Thank you to everyone that made it such a memorable evening. #jeffbuckley #chicago #kazoo #maryguibert</a></div><div style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A photo posted by Spencer Michaud (@spencermichaud) on <time datetime="2016-11-17T17:22:58+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Nov 17, 2016 at 9:22am PST</time></div></div></blockquote><script async="" defer="" src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script> <br /><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7" style="background: #fff; border-radius: 3px; border: 0; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.5) , 0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0 , 0 , 0 , 0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: 99.375%;"><div style="padding: 8px;"><div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 37.5% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"><div style="background: url(data:image/png; display: block; height: 44px; margin: 0 auto -44px; position: relative; top: -22px; width: 44px;"></div></div><div style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BM6zt9AD9Fs/" style="color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">Jeff Buckley Tributers Class of 2016 @uncommongrd with Jeff's Mom, Mary Guibert! : )</a></div><div style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A photo posted by Spencer Michaud (@spencermichaud) on <time datetime="2016-11-17T17:00:51+00:00" style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;">Nov 17, 2016 at 9:00am PST</time></div></div></blockquote><script async="" defer="" src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script>Spencer Michaudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00325805919746547881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980277139971433282.post-10893732289281439012016-08-22T11:14:00.002-07:002016-08-22T11:14:57.588-07:00Fall 2016: Shows & ClassesHi Friends!<br /><br style="line-height: 100% !important;" />I have a number of upcoming shows &amp; classes for the fall that I am happy to share with you!<br /><br style="line-height: 100% !important;" />This Tuesday 8/23, I will be playing at the Downtown Ypsilanti Farmers Market on 16 S. Washington St. from 4-6pm.<br /><br /><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://gp1.wac.edgecastcdn.net/802892/http_public_production/user_files/images/480905/original/IMG_1175.jpg?1471888142" style="-ms-interpolation-mode: bicubic; height: 268px; max-width: 100%; max-width: 550px; width: 358px;" /></div><br style="line-height: 100% !important;" /><br style="line-height: 100% !important;" />These shows are brought to you with the generous support of the Ann Arbor Area Spirit of Woodstock Fund, a donor advised fund at the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, with the goal of increasing community engagement in participatory democracy. This show is part a three month residency with once a month Tuesday shows from 4-6pm on:<br /><br style="line-height: 100% !important;" />8/23<br />9/13<br />10/11<br /><br style="line-height: 100% !important;" />Come out and support the local food economy and remember to vote! : )<br /><br style="line-height: 100% !important;" /><a href="http://www.aaacf.org/about-aaacf/aaacf-funds/aaacf-donor-advised-funds/ann-arbor-spirit-woodstock-fund">http://www.aaacf.org/about-aaacf/aaacf-funds/aaacf-donor-advised-funds/ann-arbor-spirit-woodstock-fund</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.growinghope.net/">http://www.growinghope.net/</a><br /><br style="line-height: 100% !important;" />On Sat. 8/26, I will be performing in the Cabin at Hollerfest 2016, which takes place at the beautiful Frog Holler Farm in Brooklyn, MI. My set starts at 6:30pm. You can get more info &amp; tickets here:<br /><br style="line-height: 100% !important;" /><a href="http://hollerfest.com/">http://hollerfest.com/</a><br /><br /><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://gp1.wac.edgecastcdn.net/802892/http_public_production/user_files/images/480906/original/hollerfest.jpg?1471888460" style="-ms-interpolation-mode: bicubic; height: 298px; max-width: 100%; max-width: 550px; width: 489px;" /></div><br style="line-height: 100% !important;" />On Thursday Sept. 8th, I will once again be performing at the Pittsfield Township Farmers Market from 4-6pm. Join me for some tunes &amp; help support another great local food establishment. : )<br /><br style="line-height: 100% !important;" /><a href="http://mifma.org/farmers-markets/pittsfield-township-farmers-market/">http://mifma.org/farmers-markets/pittsfield-township-farmers-market/</a><br /><br style="line-height: 100% !important;" />In addition to my musical performances, I will have a full menu of classes to choose from this fall if you are interested in furthering your own musical adventure!<br /><br style="line-height: 100% !important;" />There is still time to sign up for this semester's MUS 146: Songwriting Class at Washtenaw Community College! But don't delay, classes start Mon. 8/29!<br /><br />Let's explore what makes a song great. Together we'll build the skills and confidence necessary to turn your ideas into finished and fully realized songs. In addition to learning the basic concepts of lyric, melody, harmony and rhythm, we will explore song structure, write using all five of our senses and learn how to craft memorable melodies. If you're new to songwriting, this class will help you build your skills from the very beginning. If you're already experienced, it's a safe space to create and an excellent opportunity to add to your creative portfolio in the presence of supportive accountability partners! Follow the link below to sign up:<br /><br style="line-height: 100% !important;" /><a href="http://www.wccnet.edu/academics/classes/information/view/class/MUS%20146/">http://www.wccnet.edu/academics/classes/information/view/class/MUS%20146/</a><br /><br style="line-height: 100% !important;" />Internet registration has also just opened for my Beginning Guitar class at Ann Arbor Rec &amp; Ed:<br /><br style="line-height: 100% !important;" />Grades 9-Adult. BEGINNING Calling all aspiring guitarists. Whether you are a future rock god, jazz cat or campfire strummer, basic fundamentals and a strong foundation in technique is essential. Gain the beginning skills you need to launch your musical dream. Learn chord shapes, strumming patterns and basic music theory that can be applied to almost any style of music. Bring your own guitar. Instructor modifies the class according to the group so the class can be repeated. Instructor: Spencer Michaud is an experienced songwriter, performer and teacher. 8 weeks. Sep 19, 2016 to Nov 7, 2016 - Each Mon. - 6pm to 7pm - Pioneer HS<br /><br style="line-height: 100% !important;" /><a href="https://apm.activecommunities.com/aareced/Activity_Search/guitar-instruction-beginning/42906">https://apm.activecommunities.com/aareced/Activity_Search/guitar-instruction-beginning/42906</a><br /><br style="line-height: 100% !important;" />Feel free to contact me if you are looking for private Guitar, Voice or Songwriting lessons as well if you feel more comfortable in a one on one setting. Hope to see you all soon somewhere along the path! : )<br /><br style="line-height: 100% !important;" />-SpencerSpencer Michaudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00325805919746547881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980277139971433282.post-58609367836720521612016-07-16T06:51:00.000-07:002016-07-16T06:51:21.136-07:00History Repeats Itself<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">&nbsp;<style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in;</style>History repeats itself. The world and collective consciousness moves in a spiral, in cycles that repeat themselves but from a different and greater vantage point. It seems we are at a boiling point in American &amp; world history. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">From a historical perspective it feels very much like the 60's, a time of political unrest, a fight for civil rights &amp; an expanded awareness of the violence perpetuated at home &amp; abroad. Remember that Vietnam was the first war that really seeped into the American consciousness via Television broadcasts. Now we have an expanded version of that technology in the internet. Now we can get -in the moment- updates from countless sources &amp; events. It's all just bigger, more, all the time....it inspires Tension, with a capital T. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In the 60's that same tension gave birth to music, art &amp; cooperative movements the likes of which the world had never seen. (Unless of course you go back into history and look at other boiling points &amp; the creativity that was born from those times as well.) </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The point being, we have an opportunity. An opportunity to fulfill the holey unfulfilled promises of the light-workers of the 60's counter-culture movements; the peace, the love, the equality...the expansion of awareness...it's all there for us to bring into existence. But like most things, sometimes it can be quite a struggle to birth it. It requires the labor pains, and the extraordinary effort of it's mother. It's mother is us. It's mother is you.&nbsp;</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sAomnt0d1G8/V4o7BITVm7I/AAAAAAAAAis/2vh0_wSnBpkpSyMcbVNvKw_JIGwgrwiMACLcB/s1600/Ouroboros_on_a_cemetery_door.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sAomnt0d1G8/V4o7BITVm7I/AAAAAAAAAis/2vh0_wSnBpkpSyMcbVNvKw_JIGwgrwiMACLcB/s320/Ouroboros_on_a_cemetery_door.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Sometimes rebirth requires a dismantling of outdated structures...everything in this world has a shelf-life, even ideas! Impermanence is about the only thing you can count on, but decay is the first step towards growth. It's necessary! It's food for the eventual new life that keeps on cycling on the planet. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">All that pain...all that violence...all that uncertainty...let it feed you, but don't become it. Let it be the pressure that inspires you to burst through the soil-surface of change. Let it inspire you to make art, to write &amp; sing songs, to join with your fellow human beings and rebuild outdated physical and emotional structures. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Let it inspire you to listen, maybe for the first time in your life, to the experiences of the other...whoever that other happens to be. Step outside your own bubble and learn...empathy. That's what really makes us human, the capacity for empathy. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div>Spencer Michaudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00325805919746547881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980277139971433282.post-57995051740074189352015-12-16T09:47:00.000-08:002016-01-27T09:08:34.415-08:00Winter 2016: Upcoming Shows & ClassesHi Friends,<br /><br />Staying busy this winter with a few upcoming shows and a selection of class offerings that I am teaching. First off, here are my upcoming performances, including my first time at Ann Arbor's Old Town Tavern!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g4HuLJQip_g/VnGgJXyjIJI/AAAAAAAAAaA/a06Bvc4B98s/s1600/Screen-Shot-2012-09-10-at-7.55.18-PM-576x384.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g4HuLJQip_g/VnGgJXyjIJI/AAAAAAAAAaA/a06Bvc4B98s/s320/Screen-Shot-2012-09-10-at-7.55.18-PM-576x384.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><a href="http://www.oldtownaa.com/">Old Town Tavern</a><br />122 West Liberty Street<br />Ann Arbor MI 48104<br />Sunday, 1/10 8-10pm<br />No Cover / Donations Appreciated<br /><br /><a href="http://www.oldtownaa.com/">http://www.oldtownaa.com/</a><br /><br />On Sat. 1/23 I will be participating in the 1st Saline Winter Festival at the Carrigan Cafe in downtown Saline, MI. Check out his line up!<br /><br />Friday 1/22/16<br />1-2pm: P.T. Ragland<br />2-3pm: Frank Allison<br />3-4pm: Mike Gentry<br />4-5pm: John Louis Good<br />5-6pm: Billy King<br />6-7pm: Sunday Morning Light Saturday<br /><br />1/23/16<br />12pm-1pm: No Conflict<br />1pm- 2pm: Billy Joe Hunt<br />2pm- 3pm: Tim Berla’s band<br />3pm-4pm: Mercury Salad Sandwich<br />4pm-5pm: J. Washburn Gardner<br />5pm-6pm: Spencer Michaud<br />6pm-7pm: Kristina Johnson<br /><br />Saline Winter Festival<br />Carrigan Cafe<br /><span class="_Xbe">107 S Ann Arbor St </span><br /><span class="_Xbe">Saline, MI 48176</span><br /><span class="_Xbe">Saturday, 1/23 5-6pm</span><br /><a href="http://carrigancafe.com/"><span class="_Xbe"><br /></span></a><span class="_Xbe"><a href="http://carrigancafe.com/">&nbsp;http://carrigancafe.com</a></span><br /><br /><br /><span class="_Xbe">In addition to my performances,&nbsp; I will also be teaching a number of classes in the Washtenaw region including Songwriting, Beginning Guitar &amp; R-E-S-P-E-C-T! The History of Rock N' Roll. Registration is open for all three classes and can be done here:</span><br /><b><span class="_Xbe"><br /></span></b><b><span class="_Xbe"><a href="http://www.wccnet.edu/academics/classes/information/view/class/MUS%20146/">MUS 146: Songwriting</a>&nbsp;</span></b><br /><span class="_Xbe">Washtenaw Community College</span><br /><span class="_Xbe">Mon. 2-5pm 1/11- 5/2</span><br /><br /><span class="_Xbe"></span>For the prospective song writer, this class is designed to enhance the various phases of songwriting: observation, lyric writing, musical accompaniment and collaboration skills. Students collaborate using their talents to produce songs and also become acquainted with musical styles through recordings and demonstrations. Students will be expected to write or collaborate with others to write a song at least twice in the semester. The title of this course was previously Songwriting and Creative Improvisation.<br /><span class="_Xbe"><br /></span><span class="_Xbe">Click <a href="http://www.wccnet.edu/academics/schedule/#subjects[]/MUS/times-of-day[]/morning%2Cafternoon%2Cevening/days-of-week[]/sunday%2Cmonday%2Ctuesday%2Cwednesday%2Cthursday%2Cfriday%2Csaturday/section-types[]/regular%2Cblended%2Conline%2Cclosed/parts-of-semester[]/full%2Cearly%2Clate/">HERE</a> to register</span><br /><span class="_Xbe"><br /></span><b><a href="https://apm.activecommunities.com/aareced/Activity_Search/guitar-instruction-beginning/40967"><span class="_Xbe">Beginning Guitar</span></a></b><br /><span class="_Xbe">Ann Arbor Rec &amp; Ed</span><br /><span class="_Xbe">Mon. 6-7pm 1/25 - 3/21&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-de4e2688-daf0-eba5-02f0-cc1794fcb0f6"><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Grade 9-Adult</span><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">BEGINNING </span><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Calling all aspiring guitarists. Whether you are a future rock god, jazz cat or campfire strummer, basic fundamentals and a strong foundation in technique is essential. Gain the beginning skills you need to launch your musical dream. Learn chord shapes, strumming patterns and basic music theory that can be applied to almost any style of music. </span><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bring your own guitar. Instructor: Spencer Michaud is an experienced songwriter, performer and teacher. </span><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">8 weeks.</span></span></span><br /><div class="overlay-description-text"><br /></div><div class="overlay-description-text"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-de4e2688-daf0-eba5-02f0-cc1794fcb0f6"><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Click <a href="https://apm.activecommunities.com/aareced/Activity_Search/guitar-instruction-beginning/40967">HERE</a> to Register</span><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">&nbsp;</span></span></span></div><div class="overlay-description-text"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-de4e2688-daf0-eba5-02f0-cc1794fcb0f6"><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="overlay-description-text"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-de4e2688-daf0-eba5-02f0-cc1794fcb0f6"><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://apm.activecommunities.com/aareced/Activity_Search/r-e-s-p-e-c-t-the-history-of-rock-roll-new/40972">R-E-S-P-E-C-T! The History of Rock N' Roll</a></span></span></span></div><div class="overlay-description-text"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-de4e2688-daf0-eba5-02f0-cc1794fcb0f6"><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ann Arbor Rec &amp; Ed</span><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span></div><span class="_Xbe">Mon. 7:15-8:15pm 1/25 - 3/21</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Are you a musician or music lover who wants to learn more about what has influenced you? Trace the development of rock and roll and 20th century American and British popular music from its early blues roots to modern hip-hop. Explore the evolution of musical genres and the social contexts in which they were born. Open to musicians and non-musicians alike. Instructor: Spencer Michaud is an experienced songwriter, performer and teacher. </span><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">8 weeks. </span><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No class 2/15.</span></span><br /><span class="_Xbe"><br /></span><span class="_Xbe">Click <a href="https://apm.activecommunities.com/aareced/Activity_Search/r-e-s-p-e-c-t-the-history-of-rock-roll-new/40972">HERE</a> to Register</span><br /><br /><span class="_Xbe"><br /></span><span class="_Xbe">Hope to see you all somewhere along the way!&nbsp;</span><br /><span class="_Xbe"><br /></span><span class="_Xbe">: )</span><br /><span class="_Xbe"><br /></span><span class="_Xbe">-Spencer</span><br /><span class="_Xbe"><br /></span>Spencer Michaudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00325805919746547881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980277139971433282.post-3621112704758845562015-12-16T08:23:00.001-08:002015-12-16T08:25:46.527-08:00AcousticSongs 97.1 WNJR Show VideoCheck out this video of <a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=1272226031" href="http://mikevial.com/">Mike Vial</a> and I's performance on WNJR 97.1 <a href="https://acousticsongs.wordpress.com/">acousticsongs.com</a> show in Washington, PA this past weekend. Had a great time traveling with Mike &amp; chatting with host <a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/user.php?id=100002336776682" href="https://www.facebook.com/tmitchellbell">T Mitchell Bell</a>!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/WAtfG8ztJMQ/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WAtfG8ztJMQ?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div><br />Here is a track list of the songs we played &amp; direct links if we are boring you with our scintillating wit:<br /><ul><li>0:44 – <a href="https://youtu.be/WAtfG8ztJMQ?t=44s">The Spy</a> – Spencer</li><li>4:04 – <a href="https://youtu.be/WAtfG8ztJMQ?t=4m4s" target="_blank">Damn Fine Day</a> – Mike </li><li>20:55 – <a href="https://youtu.be/WAtfG8ztJMQ?t=20m55s" target="_blank">Boom Town</a> – Spencer</li><li>25:50 – <a href="https://youtu.be/WAtfG8ztJMQ?t=25m50s" target="_blank">Burning Bright </a>– Mike</li><li>37:50 – <a href="https://youtu.be/WAtfG8ztJMQ?t=37m50s" target="_blank">Tightrope Walker</a> – Spencer</li><li>46:10 – <a href="https://youtu.be/WAtfG8ztJMQ?t=46m10s" target="_blank">Love &amp; Be Proud</a> – Mike</li><li>54:16 – <a href="https://youtu.be/WAtfG8ztJMQ?t=54m16s" target="_blank">Dust Particle Dance</a> – Spencer</li><li>58:45 – <a href="https://youtu.be/WAtfG8ztJMQ?t=58m45s" target="_blank">One Way Road</a> – Mike</li></ul>: )<br /><br />-Spencer <br /><ul> </ul>Spencer Michaudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00325805919746547881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980277139971433282.post-30390639979858873182015-11-20T13:24:00.000-08:002015-12-07T13:26:38.457-08:00December Mini-Tour With Mike VialHello Friends,<br /><br />I am excited to announce that this upcoming December, I will be hitting the road for a small weekend tour with my good friend &amp; fellow Ann Arbor singer-songwriter; <a href="http://mikevial.com/">Mike Vial</a>! Mike and I are heading to Canton, OH on Friday 12/11 to play at the <a href="https://www.muggswigz.com/">Muggswigz Coffee &amp; Tea Co.</a>&nbsp; Music will be from 7-9pm.<br /><br />Muggswigz Coffee &amp; Tea Co. w/ Mike Vial<br />Friday, 12/11 7-9pm<br />No Cover, $5 suggested donation<br /><br /><a href="https://www.muggswigz.com/">https://www.muggswigz.com/</a><br /><br />On Saturday, 12/12, Mike and I will be heading over to Washington, PA to play a live radio broadcast on <a href="https://acousticsongs.wordpress.com/">acousticSongs</a> on WNJR 91.7 FM! We both will be playing a few tunes on the air at 12pm &amp; discussing our creative process. You can stream the show live here:<br /><br />Live on acousticSongs WNJR 91.7FM<br />Saturday, 12/12 12pm<br /><a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_1934358254"><br /></a><a href="https://acousticsongs.wordpress.com/">https://acousticsongs.wordpress.com/</a><br /><br />Please also check out Mike's music if you get a chance:<br /><a href="https://www.blogger.com/goog_1934358256"><br /></a><a href="http://mikevial.com/">http://mikevial.com</a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZztOF-Pu_5A/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZztOF-Pu_5A?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div><br />Looking forward to seeing you all on the road!<br /><br />For those of you in the Ann Arbor area, keep your eyes peeled for my <a href="https://apm.activecommunities.com/aareced/Activity_Search/guitar-instruction-beginning/40967">Beginning Guitar class at Rec &amp; Ed </a>starting Jan. 25th and new next semester:&nbsp; <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://apm.activecommunities.com/aareced/Activity_Search/r-e-s-p-e-c-t-the-history-of-rock-roll-new/40972">R-E-S-P-E-C-T: The History of Rock &amp; Roll class</a>! On-line enrollment starts Dec. 14th!</span></span><br /><br />Check out the description below:<br /><h1 id="an-pagetitle"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">R-E-S-P-E-C-T: The History of Rock &amp; Roll</span></span></h1><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: small; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Are you a musician or music lover who wants to learn more about what has influenced you? Trace the development of rock and roll and 20th century American and British popular music from its early blues roots to modern hip-hop. Explore the evolution of musical genres and the social contexts in which they were born. Open to musicians and non-musicians alike.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://apm.activecommunities.com/aareced/Activity_Search/r-e-s-p-e-c-t-the-history-of-rock-roll-new/40972"><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">&nbsp;https://apm.activecommunities.com/aareced/Activity_Search/r-e-s-p-e-c-t-the-history-of-rock-roll-new/40972</span></a></span><br /><br /><br /> I will also once again be teaching the MUS 146: Songwriting course at Washtenaw Community College this winter. Classes begin in January. Registration is now open here:<br /><br /> <a href="http://www.wccnet.edu/academics/classes/information/view/class/MUS%20146/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.wccnet.edu/…/c…/information/view/class/MUS%20146/</a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: )</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 13.3333px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: small;">-Spencer </span></span><br /><br />Spencer Michaudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00325805919746547881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980277139971433282.post-85574332501176255582015-09-16T12:24:00.000-07:002015-09-16T12:25:31.346-07:00Fall 2015: Music & Creativity Classes w/ Spencer Michaud (A2 Rec & Ed)<div style="font-weight: normal;"><style type="text/css">P { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }TD P { margin-bottom: 0in; }H1 { margin-bottom: 0.08in; }H1.western { font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; }H1.cjk { font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; }H1.ctl { font-family: "Tahoma"; }A:link { </style><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Looking forward to another semester at Ann Arbor Rec &amp; Ed! This Falls offering include Beginning Guitar, Creative Empowerment &amp; * </span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><b>New this semester *: Continuing Guitar: The Music of The Beatles! </b></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Classes begin Monday Sept. 21</span><sup><span style="font-family: Arial;">st</span></sup><span style="font-family: Arial;">! </span></span></div><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><b>Beginning Guitar</b></span></span><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="docs-internal-guid-de4e2688-daf0-eba5-02f0-cc1794fcb0f6"></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Grade 9-Adult</b></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b>BEGINNING </b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Calling all aspiring guitarists. Whether you are a future rock god, jazz cat or campfire strummer, basic fundamentals and a strong foundation in technique is essential. Gain the beginning skills you need to launch your musical dream. Learn chord shapes, strumming patterns and basic music theory that can be applied to almost any style of music. Bring your own guitar. Instructor: Spencer Michaud is an experienced songwriter, performer and teacher. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>8 weeks. Pioneer HS: $135</b></span></span><br /><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="width: 208px;"> <colgroup><col width="204"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr> <td width="204">Sep 21, 2015 to Nov 9, 2015</td> </tr><tr> <td width="204">Each Mo 6:30pm to 7:30pm</td> </tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://apm.activecommunities.com/aareced/Activity_Search/guitar-instruction-beginning/40335">https://apm.activecommunities.com/aareced/Activity_Search/guitar-instruction-beginning/40335</a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Continuing Guitar: The Music of The Beatles</b></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="docs-internal-guid-de4e2688-daf0-eba5-02f0-cc1794fcb0f61"></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Grade 9-Adult</b></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><b>CONTINUING</b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Continue to build your guitar skills using the music of The Beatles as a guide in the fall term. Throughout the term, you add different Beatles songs to your music repertoire while you practice and improve your technique. Songs and theme change every term so this class can be repeated. Bring your own guitar. Instructor: Spencer Michaud is an experienced songwriter, performer and teacher. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>8 weeks. Pioneer HS: $135</b></span></span><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="width: 208px;"> <colgroup><col width="204"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr> <td width="204">Sep 21, 2015 to Nov 9, 2015</td> </tr><tr> <td width="204">Each Mo 7:45pm to 8:45pm</td> </tr></tbody></table><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://apm.activecommunities.com/aareced/Activity_Search/guitar-instruction-continuing/40336">https://apm.activecommunities.com/aareced/Activity_Search/guitar-instruction-continuing/40336</a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><h1 class="western"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="an-pagetitle"></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Creative Empowerment</span></span></h1><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Are you an artist, writer or musician looking to regain your inspiration and productivity? Do you have a vision, but feel like fear, self-sabotage or guilt are holding you back? This class is inspired by the creative recovery work of authors like Julia Cameron (The Artist's Way), Sark (Succulent Wild Woman) and the depth psychology of Joseph Campbell and James Hillman. Find practical solutions to inhibiting forces and replace them with artistic confidence. Empower the artist within you. Instructor: Spencer Michaud. <b>8 weeks. Eberbach Cultural Arts Bldg; $135</b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="width: 216px;"> <colgroup><col width="212"></col> </colgroup><tbody><tr> <td width="212">Sep 22, 2015 to Nov 10, 2015</td> </tr><tr> <td width="212">Each Tu 2pm to 3:30pm</td> </tr></tbody></table><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://apm.activecommunities.com/aareced/Activity_Search/creative-empowerment/40349">https://apm.activecommunities.com/aareced/Activity_Search/creative-empowerment/40349</a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div>Spencer Michaudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00325805919746547881noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980277139971433282.post-90305068475592588482014-11-17T09:18:00.000-08:002014-11-17T09:56:43.408-08:00Happy Birthday Jeff Buckley <br /><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 15.4559993743896px;">For past few years, I have been fortunate enough to meet many amazing folks who are passionate about Jeff Buckley's music while paying tribute at various concerts in Chicago, Toronto &amp; Ann Arbor. It's helped me work through the disappointment of his passing &amp; helped me connect to the love that still lives on through his music. Today would have marked Jeff Buckley's 48th birthday. Here are a few live performances of Jeff's songs I've done over the years including a new video dug up from the archives of Last Goodbye. I'll be with fellow tributers in spirit today. Happy Birthday Jeff, we miss you.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 15.4559993743896px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: start;"><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #999999;">"Last Goodbye" by Jeff Buckley. &nbsp;</span><span style="text-align: center;">Live at Crazy Wisdom Tearoom in Ann Arbor, MI. 2/14/14</span></div><div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowFullScreen='true' webkitallowfullscreen='true' mozallowfullscreen='true' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/x0DPYe8bQrU?feature=player_embedded' FRAMEBORDER='0' /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"So Real" by Jeff Buckley. Live @ The 15th Annual Jeff Buckley Tribute at Uncommon Ground in Chicago, IL. 11/14/12</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowFullScreen='true' webkitallowfullscreen='true' mozallowfullscreen='true' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/wHgScCDgU8I?feature=player_embedded' FRAMEBORDER='0' /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">&lt;3</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">-Spencer</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div></div>Spencer Michaudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00325805919746547881noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980277139971433282.post-49645727155462788902014-10-09T08:28:00.001-07:002014-10-09T08:28:35.870-07:00Tightrope Walker EP now on I-Tunes, Google Play, Bandcamp & Spotify! So many digital channels for hearing music, so little time... that's why I've consolidated all my links to my debut EP Tightrope Walker for you right here! : ) Hopefully your preferred download site is listed here, if not how about suggesting it in the comments below?&nbsp;Please help me spread these links &amp; music out into the world! Thanks&nbsp;again for supporting independent&nbsp;artists!<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PklOonjmC7M/VDapLB7H1iI/AAAAAAAAAU8/wLKD6M8EGwE/s1600/New%2BTightrope%2BWalker%2BEP%2BCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PklOonjmC7M/VDapLB7H1iI/AAAAAAAAAU8/wLKD6M8EGwE/s1600/New%2BTightrope%2BWalker%2BEP%2BCover.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />Tightrope Walker EP on<br /><br />&nbsp;I-Tunes:<br /><br /><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/tightrope-walker-ep/id924068534?ign-mpt=uo%3D4">https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/tightrope-walker-ep/id924068534?ign-mpt=uo%3D4</a><br /><br />Google Play:<br /><br /><a href="https://play.google.com/store/music/artist/Spencer_Michaud?id=A7mqkkruab6up34k7ldepm5y7mm&amp;hl=en">https://play.google.com/store/music/artist/Spencer_Michaud?id=A7mqkkruab6up34k7ldepm5y7mm&amp;hl=en</a><br /><br />Bandcamp:<br /><br /><a href="https://spencermichaud.bandcamp.com/album/tightrope-walker-ep">https://spencermichaud.bandcamp.com/album/tightrope-walker-ep</a><br /><br />Spotify:<br /><br /><a href="https://play.spotify.com/artist/0bvFlcU0f1jL9FELEN0yvy">https://play.spotify.com/artist/0bvFlcU0f1jL9FELEN0yvy</a><br /><br />: )<br /><br />-Spencer<br /><br /><br />Spencer Michaudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00325805919746547881noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980277139971433282.post-3013285694780277872014-09-12T11:09:00.000-07:002014-09-12T11:09:09.573-07:00The Hero's Journey & Why it matters now more than everBack in college, I had a wonderful children's literature instructor that turned me on to the work of Joseph Campbell &amp; Carl Jung. In the series, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSWcIcOcDvU">The Power of Myth</a>, (based on his work in the book <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Thousand-Faces-Collected-Joseph-Campbell/dp/1577315936">The Hero with a Thousand Faces</a></i>) Campbell sat down with Bill Moyers and discussed the common themes, archetypes and story arcs of what he called "the monomyth". I was in awe as Campbell broke down ancient stories such as Gilgamesh &amp; The Iliad, &amp; connected them with modern day myths such Star Wars &amp; The Wizard of Oz:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowFullScreen='true' webkitallowfullscreen='true' mozallowfullscreen='true' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/2F7Wwew8X4Y?feature=player_embedded' FRAMEBORDER='0' /></div><br />Recurring themes such as the CALL TO ADVENTURE, THE REFUSAL OF THE CALL &amp; THE BELLY OF THE BEAST came up time and time again in all shapes and sizes and through out cultures that had no way of communicating with one another. As I studied further, I started making connections to my own life and found a well spring of human experience to draw upon for my art as well as my sanity in dealing with the ups &amp; downs that came with the various stages of life. I started recognizing the recurring characters in my life, WISE MENTORS, THRESHOLD GUARDIANS &amp; SHAPESHIFTERS, the various psychological masks that we all wear at different points in time. It helped me find connection and most importantly <i>hope </i>during times when things seemed the bleakest<i>.&nbsp;</i><br /><i><br /></i>In a modern age<i>&nbsp;</i>where information is coming at us<i>&nbsp;</i>at a pace that is hard to process &amp; life becomes more &amp; more automated, it is of great value being able to take a step back and see how we fit into the great human drama &amp; find a sense of timelessness in our shared cultural stories. The Hero's Journey provides us with a center, a deep well of shared experience that helps us recognize our rites of passage and keeps us pushing forward on the road of life.<br /><br />Want to learn more about the Hero's Journey? Join me for a six week class through the <a href="http://reced.aaps.k12.mi.us/reced.home/rec___ed_home">Ann Arbor Rec &amp; Ed</a> that focuses exclusively on the Hero's Journey &amp; how to apply it's themes to your life &amp; your art! Class starts Tues. 9/16!<br /><br /><b>Creative Writing: The Hero's Journey</b><br /><br />Drawing from the depth psychology of Carl Jung and the mythic studies of Joseph Campbell, the hero's journey can be a valuable road map for any aspiring writer or artist. In this class you will explore the common structural elements found universally in myths, fairy tales, dreams, and movies. Through the study of stories such as The Wizard of Oz, Star Wars, and Harry Potter, you uncover techniques that will make your work timeless. Instructor: Spencer Michaud. 6 weeks. Tues. 3-5pm SESSION 1: 9/16 – 10/21, SESSION 2: 11/4 – 12/9 Tuition: $125 per session<br /><br />https://apm.activecommunities.com/aareced/Activity_Search/creative-writing-the-hero-s-journey/36465<br /><br />https://apm.activecommunities.com/aareced/Activity_Search/creative-writing-the-hero-s-journey/36466Spencer Michaudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00325805919746547881noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980277139971433282.post-6946851039758026032014-09-12T09:55:00.001-07:002014-09-12T09:55:53.039-07:00FREE Musician Community Building Workshop: Mon. 9/15<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Recently I was asked by my good friend, local music DJ &amp; promoter, <a href="https://twitter.com/TreeTownSound">Matthew Altruda</a> from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TreeTownSound?fref=photo">107.1 FM's Treetown Sound</a> to appear on a panel discussion session &amp; networking opportunity for local musicians in the Ann Arbor area. I have appeared on Matthew's radio show a number of times and really appreciate all that he does for our local music scene. On Monday, Sept.15th we will be sitting down with other local musician, talent buyers &amp; booking agents to discuss how to make sense of this Wild West known as the music business &amp; what steps you can take to find the right kind of success for you. This is a FREE workshop and a great opportunity to meet other people in the industry! Won't you join us?</span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 14.3360004425049px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #141823; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 14.3360004425049px;">https://www.facebook.com/events/695614330526386/</span></span><br /><span style="color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 14.3360004425049px;"><br /></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--5V0LDrWON8/VBMjmX3MW-I/AAAAAAAAAUc/DDLDDDR82fg/s1600/music%2Bbusiness%2Bpanel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--5V0LDrWON8/VBMjmX3MW-I/AAAAAAAAAUc/DDLDDDR82fg/s1600/music%2Bbusiness%2Bpanel.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><span style="color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, lucida grande, tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 14.3360004425049px;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3999996185303px; line-height: 14.3360004425049px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 14.3360004425049px;">Musician Community Building Workshop.</span></span><br /><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 14.3360004425049px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 14.3360004425049px;">FREE // 7PM to 9PM - 9/15</span></span><br /><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 14.3360004425049px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 14.3360004425049px;">Espresso Royale 214 S Main St, Ann Arbor.</span></span><br /><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 14.3360004425049px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 14.3360004425049px;">Open discussion about moving forward in the music business. Topics will included booking, festivals, touring, networking, money, youtube, social media and all of your questions. This is also a networking opportunity to meet other musicians and spread your music.</span></span><br /><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 14.3360004425049px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 14.3360004425049px;">Hosted by Matthew Altruda- Sonic Lunch &amp; Tree Town Sound hosted by Matthew Altruda 6PM Sundays 107one FM</span></span><br /><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 14.3360004425049px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 14.3360004425049px;">PANEL:</span></span><br /><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 14.3360004425049px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 14.3360004425049px;">Jason Berry- Talent Buyer - Blind Pig - Ann Arbor, MI</span></span><br /><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 14.3360004425049px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 14.3360004425049px;">Ashley Flohr- Account Manager for Music &amp; Live Events for Google</span></span><br /><br /><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 14.3360004425049px;">Jeff May- Booking agent for Fleming Artists</span></span><br /><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 14.3360004425049px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 14.3360004425049px;">Randall Moore- Musician &amp; Management for The Ragbirds</span></span><br /><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 14.3360004425049px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 14.3360004425049px;">Spencer Michaud- Musician &amp; Washtenaw Community College Instructor.</span></span>Spencer Michaudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00325805919746547881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980277139971433282.post-33384182282936101582014-09-05T11:35:00.001-07:002014-09-07T08:33:33.734-07:00SHOW TONIGHT / NEW TIGHTROPE WALKER EP AVAILABLE / FALL CLASSESHi Folks!<br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Whirlwind happenings around here! This is truly going to be a great fall. I'm happy to announce that my new <a href="https://spencermichaud.bandcamp.com/album/tightrope-walker-ep">EP Tightrope Walker </a>is now officially out digitally and in final physical form! It's been a long journey to this point and I am extremely grateful for all of your encouragement and support. I am blessed to have so many great people in my community! : )</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I have released the digital version first on Bandcamp &amp; you can download it here:</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="http://www.spencermichaud.bandcamp.com/">http://www.spencermichaud.bandcamp.com</a><br /><br /></div><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2574945947/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=0f91ff/tracklist=false/transparent=true/" style="border: 0; height: 470px; width: 350px;"><a href="http://spencermichaud.bandcamp.com/album/tightrope-walker-ep">Tightrope Walker (EP) by Spencer Michaud</a></iframe> <br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Please help me spread the word by sharing the link to your friends and on your social media platforms! Since I am releasing this independently, YOU are my best advocates for spreading this music to the world! Thank you in advance, your check is in the mail. ; )</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I will also have brand new physical copies of the EP TONIGHT for sale at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/683481588373367/">my show at the Crazy WisdomTearoom in Ann Arbor.</a> The show starts at 8:30pm &amp; is FREE / ALL AGES. Please join me in celebrating this long-awaited accomplishment! </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2N5_fXPLNZo/VAoBbGMNVnI/AAAAAAAAAUI/ZXjk8dyiN-o/s1600/IMG_3593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2N5_fXPLNZo/VAoBbGMNVnI/AAAAAAAAAUI/ZXjk8dyiN-o/s1600/IMG_3593.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I also want to let you know that I am in the process of trying to get the title track from the EP in a new movie coming out next fall about Philippe Petit &amp; the World Trade Center Walk starring Joseph-Gordan Levitt &amp; directed by Robert Zemeckis. It's called <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3488710/">The Walk</a> &amp; y</i>ou can help! Please follow their twitter account: <a href="https://twitter.com/TheWalkMovie">https://twitter.com/TheWalkMovie</a>&amp; tweet them this link for <a href="https://spencermichaud.bandcamp.com/track/tightrope-walker">Tightrope Walker,</a> asking to put the song in the film! We'll get this thing in there grass-roots style! : )</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Last but not least, I will be teaching a number of classes through <a href="http://reced.aaps.k12.mi.us/reced.home/rec___ed_home">AnnArbor Rec &amp; Ed</a> this fall! I would love for you to join me as we explore a wide range of subjects and expand our collective consciousness together! Offerings include: Guitar, Songwriting, Astrology, &amp; *NEW THIS SEMSTER*: Modern Music Business: DIY &amp; Creative Writing Workshop: The Hero's Journey. Classes will be at Pioneer High school in Ann Arbor &amp; will start Sept. 16<sup>th</sup>. Check out the link below for complete information &amp; registration:</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1532253170319695/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming">https://www.facebook.com/events/1532253170319695/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming</a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eUijQB1JBWY/VAoBYaNODII/AAAAAAAAAUA/wdWxYHKnKis/s1600/IMG_2672.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eUijQB1JBWY/VAoBYaNODII/AAAAAAAAAUA/wdWxYHKnKis/s1600/IMG_2672.jpg" height="177" width="320" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Thanks again for all your support! </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">&lt;3</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">-Spencer</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div>Spencer Michaudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00325805919746547881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980277139971433282.post-41915852360510590342014-08-20T15:34:00.002-07:002014-08-20T19:10:05.330-07:00BOOM! Full 4 song Tightrope Walker EP now available for Download!!<br /><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here it is folks! The full 4 song Tightrope Walker EP available for download at:</span><br /><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://spencermichaud.bandcamp.com/">https://spencermichaud.bandcamp.com/</a></span></span><br /><span style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><iframe style="border: 0; width: 350px; height: 588px;" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=2574945947/size=large/bgcol=333333/linkcol=0f91ff/transparent=true/" seamless><a href="http://spencermichaud.bandcamp.com/album/tightrope-walker-ep">Tightrope Walker (EP) by Spencer Michaud</a></iframe> <br /><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #999999;">All Songs Written by Spencer Michaud</span></span><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Produced by Spencer Michaud &amp; Ross Federman</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Recorded by Jim Roll @ Backseat Productions, Ann Arbor, MI</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Mixed by Jim Roll</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Additional Mixing by Ross Federman</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Mastered by Roman Vail @ JLM Mastering, Brooklyn, NY</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Album Art by Tanya Andrews &amp; Betsy King</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Album Layout by Midwinter Design</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Spencer Michaud: vocals, guitars, keyboards</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Graham Lapp: bass</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Gabriel Craft: drums</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Alex Belhaj: keyboards, organ, guitar</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Zach Nichols: horns, bowed saw</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Erin Zindle: violin</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Kevin Morgan: background vocals</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Brent Hegwood: background vocals</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Jim Roll: banjo</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Mike Boyd: guitar</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Ross Federman: additional percussion &amp; effects</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">CC-BY-SA 2014 Spencer Michaud</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Thank you to everyone who made this possible &amp; supported me throughout this project and my creative endeavors up to this point. It is truly humbling to be a part of such an amazing community of people. Special thanks to all the generous kickstarter backers, to my Mom &amp; Jim, Dad &amp; Gail, Tanya, Sophie, and Ross for getting me to the finish line.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Kickstarter Backers:</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">The Dirty Birds, Swanna Saltiel, Jim Roll, Charlene Kaye, Jenny Jones, The Ragbirds, Michelle Fortin &amp; Patrick Racine, Todd Kessler, Appleseed Collective, Pamela Mennel, Kitty McGarry, Michelle Dow, The Longest Day of the Year, Matthew Neagle, Jennifer Steinmann Ross, Matt &amp; Jess McCumons, Joe Arozarena, Sarah E. Nugent, Eve Povolo, Melissa Andrews, Susan Aitken, Alessandra Noelting, Mary Reilly, Susie Keat, Staley Krause, James Aitken, Frances Ross, Michael Riley, Brent Hegwood, Roseann Milano, Caitlin, Amy, Mike Michaud, BJ Walraven, Tanya Andrews, Paul Capling</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">This music is licensed under Creative Commons: CC-BY-SA which supports your freedom to share &amp; be creative with this work as long as you include original credit (attribution) &amp; use this license (share-alike). Please help spread this music to the world! Thank you for supporting independent art!</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Additional Media, Merchandise, Tour info &amp; updates can be found at:</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Artist Website: <a href="http://spencermichaud.com/">spencermichaud.com</a></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/spencermichaud">twitter.com/spencermichaud</a></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Facebook: <a href="http://facebook.com/spencermichaudmusic">facebook.com/spencermichaudmusic</a></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Youtube: <a href="http://youtube.com/spencermichaudmusic">youtube.com/spencermichaudmusic</a></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Soundcloud: <a href="http://soundcloud.com/spencermichaud">soundcloud.com/spencermichaud</a></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Instagram: <a href="http://instagram.com/spencermichaud">instagram.com/spencermichaud</a></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;">Bandcamp:&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://spencermichaud.bandcamp.com/">spencermichaud.bandcamp.com/</a></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Liberation Sans, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div>Spencer Michaudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00325805919746547881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980277139971433282.post-36205657504056229042014-06-05T09:45:00.000-07:002014-06-06T09:17:11.585-07:00Ann Arbor Rec & Ed Classes w/ Spencer MichaudRegistration is now open for a number of personal enrichment classes that I will be teaching through <a href="http://www.aareced.com/reced.home/rec___ed_home">Ann Arbor Rec &amp; Ed</a> this summer! I am so excited to be working with a great organization like Rec &amp; Ed and have the opportunity to help people achieve their creative dreams. : ) Check out this article by David Fitch from the Washtenaw Voice if you are curious about my teaching style!:<br /><br />http://www.washtenawvoice.com/2014/02/songwriting-instructor-inspires-through-experience/<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6UXb1sdKasI/U5Car1j5pJI/AAAAAAAAASc/pgfBsmYPV8U/s1600/class+photo+(1).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6UXb1sdKasI/U5Car1j5pJI/AAAAAAAAASc/pgfBsmYPV8U/s1600/class+photo+(1).jpeg" height="267" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Below you will find courses that I am offering and links to register. Classes begin June 18th and go for 6 weeks. &nbsp;Feel free to message me if you have any questions!<br /><br />https://www.facebook.com/events/469802699821035/<br /><br />Guitar for Beginners 9th Grade - Adult:<br /><br />Grade 9-Adult. Calling all aspiring guitarists! Whether you are a future rock god, jazz cat or campfire strummer, basic fundamentals and a strong foundation in technique is essential. Gain the beginning skills you need to launch your musical dream! You learn how to make easy chord shapes, strumming patterns and basic music theory that can be applied to almost any style of music. Sign up today to improve your string knowledge! Instructor: Spencer Michaud is an experienced songwriter, performer and teacher. 6 weeks. Mondays 6-7pm, 6/23-7/28 Tuition: $95<br /><br />https://apm.activecommunities.com/aareced/Activity_Search/guitar-for-beginners-9th-grade-adult/35512<br /><br />Songwriting Workshop:<br /><br />Grade 9-Adult. Do you have a song to share with the world? Explore what makes a song great. Build the skills and confidence necessary to turn your ideas into finished and fully realized songs. You study the basic concepts of lyric, melody, harmony and rhythm. Structured activities help you beat writers block and become more prolific. Open to beginners and seasoned songwriters alike. Students are encouraged to bring their instruments, but no previous experience or instrumental knowledge is necessary to benefit from this class. Instructor: Spencer Michaud is an experienced songwriter, performer and teacher. 6 weeks. Mondays 7:15-9pm, 6/23-7/28, Tuition: $135<br /><br />https://apm.activecommunities.com/aareced/Activity_Search/songwriting-workshop/35513<br /><br />Creative Writing Workshop:<br /><br />Whether you have the heart of a poet, the visionary imagination of an author or just words in your head that are screaming to get out, this class is for you! Conquer that writer's block once and for all with an array of in-class writing exercises, thoughtful discussions and confidence building creative writing techniques. Over the span of six weeks you will focus on creating a meaningful story arc, writing from your senses and courting your inner muse. Instructor: Spencer Michaud. 6 weeks. No class 7/9. Wednesdays Noon-2pm, 6/18-7/30, Tuition: $125<br /><div><br /></div>https://apm.activecommunities.com/aareced/Activity_Search/creative-writing-workshop/35507<br /><br />Astrology:<br /><br />Astrology is much more than a horoscope in a newspaper! It is an ancient language that can help you understand yourself and the world around you. Explore the major symbolic components of Astrology including planets, signs, elements and aspects. Gain a better understanding of how to read a basic natal chart. Learn highly effective techniques for identifying your own unique talents and inner wisdom. Instructor: Spencer Michaud. 6 weeks. No class 7/9. Wednesdays 2:30-4pm, 6/18-7/30, Tuition: $95<br /><br />https://apm.activecommunities.com/aareced/Activity_Search/astrology/35498<br /><br /><br />Upcoming shows in June:<br /><br />6.12.14 - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PittsfieldTwp">Pittsfield Township Farmers Market</a> - 4pm<br /><br />6.19.14 - <a href="http://chelseafestivals.com/festival/">Chelsea Sounds &amp; Sights</a> - 6:30pm<br /><br />6.25.14 - <a href="http://a2sf.org/desktop/">Ann Arbor Summer Festival: Grove Stage</a> - 6pm<br /><br />6.27.14 - <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/471763012952545/">Yellow Barn</a> - 7pm<br /><br /><br />Spencer Michaudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00325805919746547881noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980277139971433282.post-68426980260315391572014-05-13T11:08:00.000-07:002014-05-13T11:08:54.816-07:00Upcoming shows: May / JuneHi Friends!<br /><br />Here is a peek at what I've got coming up this spring. In May, I will be joined by singer-songwriter Vincent Colbert for a series of solo shows. Vince is a talented artist that participated in the Polar Vortex Songwriting Game with me the past few months. You can check him out here:<br /><br />http://www.vincentcolbert.com<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://ytimg.googleusercontent.com/vi/gZzAs_OrVS4/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/gZzAs_OrVS4&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/gZzAs_OrVS4&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div><br /><br />We have an early show<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/1414119898850512/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming"> THIS FRIDAY May 16th at B-24's coffee shop in Ypsilanti at 5pm.</a> This will be a FREE / ALL AGES show.<br /><br />On May 25th, we will be traveling to Kalamazoo for a pre-memorial day show at the Vine St. Neighborhood Association at 1pm. Joining us at this show will be another talented musician, Kaitlin Rose:<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowFullScreen='true' webkitallowfullscreen='true' mozallowfullscreen='true' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/TBbDR9qWl5w?feature=player_embedded' FRAMEBORDER='0' /></div><br /><br />In June, I have a series of outdoor shows, starting with Chelsea Sights &amp; Sounds on June 19th &amp; then Ann Arbor Summer Festival's Grove stage on June 25th. I'll be rounding out the month at the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/471763012952545/?ref=2&amp;ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming">Yellow Barn on Friday June 27th as part of a "Summer mini-folk festival"</a> featuring:<br /><br />Emily Rose - http://www.reverbnation.com/emilvrosemusic<br />Audra Kubat - http://www.audrakubatmusic.com<br />Andru Bemis - http://www.andrubemis.com<br />J. Washburn Gardner - http://www.jwashburngardner.com<br />Ebb Tide - http://www.ebbtidetrio.com<br /><br />Looking forward to seeing you all soon! : )<br /><br />MAY / JUNE SHOWS:<br /><br />5/16 - B-24's w/ Vincent Colbert - Ypsilanti, MI<br /><br />5/25 - Vine St. Neighborhood Assc. w/ Vincent &nbsp;Colbert &amp; Kaitlin Rose - Kalamazoo, MI<br /><br />6/19 - Chelsea Sights &amp; Sounds - Chelsea, MI<br /><br />6/25 - Ann Arbor Summer Festival - Grove Stage -Ann Arbor, MI<br /><br />6/27 - Yellow Barn - Ann Arbor, MI<br /><br />: )<br /><br />-Spencer<br /><br /><br />Spencer Michaudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00325805919746547881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980277139971433282.post-6425094749276002862014-03-19T13:24:00.000-07:002014-03-19T13:24:46.302-07:00EP Pre-release: Sat. 3/22 @ The Ark / Sneak Peek Track!<span style="font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, Trebuchet MS;"><span style="color: #999999; line-height: 20.80000114440918px;">Hello Friends!</span></span><br /><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, Trebuchet MS;"><span style="line-height: 20.80000114440918px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, Trebuchet MS;"><span style="line-height: 20.80000114440918px;">Exciting things are happening around here! : ) This Sat. 3/22, I will have 50 limited edition, hand-signed &amp; numbered "pre-release" copies of my Debut EP <i>Tightrope Walker</i>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/674528945926654/">at the Ark when I open for the Ben Daniels Band! </a>I am also including a free digital download code on each copy of the CD! Doors open @ 7:30pm. I'm on at 8pm sharp!</span></span></span><br /><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, Trebuchet MS;"><span style="line-height: 20.80000114440918px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, Trebuchet MS;"><span style="line-height: 20.80000114440918px;">Tickets can be purchased here: http://theark.org/3827.html</span></span></span><br /><span style="color: #999999;"></span><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qJz2Svvw-3A/Uyn5EXWbXOI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/laW1AqaiXEo/s1600/IMG_0902.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #999999;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qJz2Svvw-3A/Uyn5EXWbXOI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/laW1AqaiXEo/s1600/IMG_0902.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, Trebuchet MS;"><span style="line-height: 20.80000114440918px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, Trebuchet MS;"><span style="line-height: 20.80000114440918px;">Here is a sneak peek of the first track off the EP called "Guinevere":</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, Trebuchet MS;"><span style="color: #999999; line-height: 20.80000114440918px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, Trebuchet MS;"><span style="color: #999999; line-height: 20.80000114440918px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #999999;"><iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/140385181&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;visual=true" width="100%"></iframe><span style="font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, Trebuchet MS;"><span style="line-height: 20.80000114440918px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, Trebuchet MS;"><span style="line-height: 20.80000114440918px;"><br /></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, Trebuchet MS;"><span style="color: #999999; line-height: 20.80000114440918px;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/spencermichaud/guinevere">https://soundcloud.com/spencermichaud/guinevere</a></span></span><br /><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">Meet me beneath the blossom tree</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">Before the day overtakes the night</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">Just make sure that no one sees</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">Be like a white shadow </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">Moving like the wind against the night</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">I'll flash my candle four times</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">One, two, three, four</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">The raven's watching from on high</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">Oh but we must stay away from their prying eyes</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">If we want to meet tonight</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">If we want to meet tonight</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">You have disarmed me Guinevere</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">I'm laying down my sword</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">And I'm lowering my shield</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">I'll brave the pyre</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">And I will brave the flames</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">Just to lose my honor </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">In your arms again</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">Meet me beneath the blossom tree</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">You know your secret</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">Will always be safe with me</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">No one can tell us this is wrong</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">Cause our love is the grail </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">They've been searching for</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">And searching for so long</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">They've been searching for so long</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">You have disarmed me Guinevere</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">I'm laying down my sword</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">And I'm lowering my shield</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">I'll brave the pyre</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">And I will brave the flames</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">Just to lose my honor </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">In your arms again</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">I'll brave the pyre and the flames</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">Just to lose my honor in your arms again</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">I'll brave the pyre and the flames</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">Just to lose my honor in your arms again</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">Just to lose my honor in your arms again</span></div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: #999999;">Just to lose my honor in your arms again</span></div><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, Trebuchet MS;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, Trebuchet MS;"><span style="line-height: 20.80000114440918px;">Thanks again for your support! I always welcome your feedback. Looking forward to seeing you all soon!</span></span></span><br /><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, Trebuchet MS;"><span style="line-height: 20.80000114440918px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, Trebuchet MS;"><span style="line-height: 20.80000114440918px;">: )</span></span></span><br /><span style="color: #999999;"><span style="font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, Trebuchet MS;"><span style="line-height: 20.80000114440918px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: sans-serif, Arial, Verdana, Trebuchet MS;"><span style="line-height: 20.80000114440918px;">-Spencer</span></span></span><br /><div><br /></div>Spencer Michaudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00325805919746547881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980277139971433282.post-63142607901057422722014-03-04T08:07:00.000-08:002014-03-04T11:06:38.567-08:00Polar Vortex Songwriting GameA few months ago my friend <a href="http://mikevial.com/">Mike Vial&nbsp;</a>proposed doing a song-a-week challenge with a group of local and regional musicians. It would go like this: each week we would pick a phrase, write a song using said phrase, record it &amp; post it for the others in the group to see. He called it "The Polar Vortex Songwriting Challenge". So far it has been an amazingly productive experience for myself and others in the group. I've written more new material in two months than I have in the last year! As an independent artist, it's also helped me feel the pressure of a deadline and learn how to release the need for perfectionism.<br /><br />Admittedly I have a tendency to work slow. &nbsp;I have been know to hem and haw over small details and delay sharing my finished work. (Yes, the EP is still coming!, lol) But this game has taught me the value of letting go. Originally, &nbsp;I was hesitant to share these songs publicly, (They are basically demos that are written and recorded, sometimes in one take, at home.) but I feel good about the songs and hope that there will be folks inspired by hearing about the process.<br /><br />Recently I came across a very inspiring video by Ira Glass that encouraged people to overcome the gap between your TASTE and your SKILL simply by being prolific. I am taking that advice to heart:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowFullScreen='true' webkitallowfullscreen='true' mozallowfullscreen='true' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/3ResTHKVxf4?feature=player_embedded' FRAMEBORDER='0' /></div><br />I have started a new soundcloud page and have been posting the songs there:<br /><br />https://soundcloud.com/spencermichaud<br /><br />Feel free to follow me and leave comments! : )<br /><br />This week's phrase was "Chasing my heart". At first I tried to write about the story of Artemis and the hunter, but found that I was having trouble developing the story. (What else can you do but chase her? If you catch her, Zeus will SMITE you!!) So I shifted mid-stream to the story of a street photographer named Vivian Maier whose photos were recently discovered by a Chicago man who bought a few mysterious cases of undeveloped film rolls at an auction. This allowed me to surround myself with her imagery and imagine her thought processes as she snapped her way through the big city on her day off from her job as a nanny. I always do quite a bit of research before I write a song. I approach songwriting as a novelist or a method actor would; complete immersion in the subject of interest. It helps me come up with imagery that I would never have been able to invoke just from memory.<br /><br />Here are the fruits of my labor this week:<br /><br /><iframe frameborder="no" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/137716851&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;visual=true" width="100%"></iframe><br /><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Black &amp; White</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">It's the perfect light</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Late afternoon</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Spots &amp; Stripes</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Under hats &amp; ties</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Their faces bloom</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">A baby cries</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The clown weeps too</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">It's a story of lines</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Shadows &amp; clues</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Snapping through the city streets</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Who knows what I might find</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Behind the Brownie box</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I am the spy</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Fur &amp; Lace</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Their hands embrace</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I crank the spool</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Dirt &amp; Grime </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Father time </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Can be so cruel</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The tired old men</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">They hypnotize</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Lightning &amp; leather</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Frame their eyes</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Rusting in the dusty corners</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The ancient soldiers sigh</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Behind the Brownie box</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I am the spy</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Chasing my heart</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In the storefront mirrors</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I am the ghost without tears</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Scatter my soul in the undeveloped rolls</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Maybe one day I'll reappear</div><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><br />Stay tuned for more updates on this project!<br /><br />Here are some upcoming opportunities this month to hear me perform some of these tunes live!<br /><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/767432029935609/">March 7th: Plymouth Coffee Bean w/ Vincent Colbert &amp; Acoustic Resonance&nbsp;</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/674528945926654/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming">March 22nd: The Ark, Opening for the Ben Daniels Band!</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/358843190925572/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming">March 30th: Voxtropolis Grand Opening Event, Bab's Underground Lounge</a><br /><br />As always, I am grateful for your support! If you would like to help patronize my art there is a donate button to the right -&gt;<br /><br />(Any little bit helps free up more time &amp; resources to create more work!)<br /><br />Thank you for supporting independent artists!<br /><br />: )<br /><br />-Spencer<br /><br />Spencer Michaudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00325805919746547881noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980277139971433282.post-15224340824701132822014-01-28T10:39:00.000-08:002014-01-28T10:39:08.193-08:00Folk The Police 2014Thanks to everyone that came out the Blind Pig on Sunday! I had a great time participating &amp; enjoy the lovely music community that we have here in the Ann Arbor area. : ) Check out my version of Poison by Bel Biv Davoe:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowFullScreen='true' webkitallowfullscreen='true' mozallowfullscreen='true' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/dEOL7i4kPuc?feature=player_embedded' FRAMEBORDER='0' /></div><br />Spencer Michaudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00325805919746547881noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2980277139971433282.post-21009811651816869402014-01-15T07:35:00.001-08:002014-01-15T07:35:44.905-08:00WCC Songwriting Class Feature ArticleBig thanks to David Fitch over at the Washtenaw Voice for his great article highlighting my <a href="http://www.wccnet.edu/academics/classes/information/view/class/MUS%20146/">MUS 146: Songwriting class at WCC</a> this week! I enjoy my work as a teacher and it is always a new adventure every semester. : ) You can visit the Voice here:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.washtenawvoice.com/2014/01/local-songwriter-brings-craft-to-washtenaw/">http://www.washtenawvoice.com/2014/01/local-songwriter-brings-craft-to-washtenaw/</a><br /><br /><div class="post-headline" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 0px; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 18px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-top: 10px;"><h1 style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Local songwriter brings craft to Washtenaw</h1></div><div class="post-bodycopy clearfix" style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; min-width: 0px;"><div style="margin: 10px; padding: 0px;"><strong>By DAVID FITCH</strong><br /><i>Staff Writer</i></div><div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_129707" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; float: right; height: auto; margin: 10px 0px 5px 10px; max-width: 96%; padding-top: 4px; width: 410px;"><img alt="photo of Forest Geesey" class="size-notsosmall-wrap wp-image-129707" height="300" src="http://www.washtenawvoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/IMG_2619-400x300.jpg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 0px none !important; margin: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px !important;" title="IMG_2619" width="400" /><div class="wp-caption-text" style="color: #666666; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 13px; margin: 10px; padding: 2px 4px 5px;">Student Forest Geesey watches his classmates perform. Geesey said that he was not nervous to perform because of his history of such doing such things. For others, it was no small feat to share their final project with the rest of the class.</div></div><div style="margin: 10px; padding: 0px;">Students sang about everything from losing their keys to wanting to get away from Michigan in the year-end performance for a songwriting course at Washtenaw Community College last semester.</div><div style="margin: 10px; padding: 0px;">The performance, which took place in the Student Center Community Room, while not a comfortable task for some performers, showcased students’ prowess as artists.</div><div style="margin: 10px; padding: 0px;">Local singer-songwriter Spencer Michaud has been teaching a songwriting course at WCC for the past several years and has been bringing students the opportunity to express themselves and to hone their skills.</div><div style="margin: 10px; padding: 0px;">Michaud, who plans to soon release his own EP, gives students practical information related to being a musician from his own experiences.</div><div style="margin: 10px; padding: 0px;">“There’s kind of a different flavor (each semester) based on my creative endeavors,” said Michaud.</div><div style="margin: 10px; padding: 0px;">And for some, the class is an oasis where they can develop their dreams and hear from others on the same paths.</div><div style="margin: 10px; padding: 0px;">“Sometimes our class can be a bit like group therapy, too, because we are talking out issues that may have prevented us from expressing ourselves fully,” Michaud said. “(People) like being able to see that they are not alone in that process.”</div><div style="margin: 10px; padding: 0px;">Thomas Harris, a 20-year-old music production student from Ypsilanti, had been producing music for years when he took Michaud’s course, but he still found the class helpful.</div><div style="margin: 10px; padding: 0px;">“It allowed me to connect my thoughts with my emotions,” said Harris. “It’s a way to vent. You can just take the class to learn how to write your feelings down on paper.”</div><div style="margin: 10px; padding: 0px;">Lindsey Klebba, 19, of Hartland, who already writes music and performs extensively, said that the course was helpful. And she spoke highly of Michaud.</div><div class="wp-caption alignleft" id="attachment_129706" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; float: left; height: auto; margin: 10px 10px 5px 0px; max-width: 96%; padding-top: 4px; width: 410px;"><img alt="photo of Melissa Welsh" class="size-notsosmall-wrap wp-image-129706" height="300" src="http://www.washtenawvoice.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/IMG_2618-400x300.jpg" style="border-bottom-left-radius: 3px; border-bottom-right-radius: 3px; border-top-left-radius: 3px; border-top-right-radius: 3px; border: 0px none !important; margin: 0px !important; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px !important;" title="IMG_2618" width="400" /><div class="wp-caption-text" style="color: #666666; font-size: 0.8em; line-height: 13px; margin: 10px; padding: 2px 4px 5px;">Melissa Welsh shares her song in the final performance of a songwriting course taught by local musician Spencer Michaud.</div></div><div style="margin: 10px; padding: 0px;">“He’s very knowledgeable and a lot of fun,” she said.</div><div style="margin: 10px; padding: 0px;">And Michaud has a different message for his students than they may hear outside the classroom.</div><div style="margin: 10px; padding: 0px;">“That’s another cool part of the class is people get to talk about, well, maybe a parent wasn’t as supportive of this and said that they couldn’t do it, or maybe they said that they had to quote-unquote ‘get a real job’ or something like that,” said Michaud.</div><div style="margin: 10px; padding: 0px;">“I try to be balanced, I say that being a musician is hard work. It’s not an easy job… if they put their mind to it, and they keep at it and keep working at their craft, that there are ways to make a living being a musician and doing creative things,” he said. “That’s not something that everyone is telling them all the time.”</div><div style="margin: 10px; padding: 0px;">And besides helping students hone their skills individually, the class gives the chance to make connections and to work with others. Often instrumentalists and songwriters from the class teamed up for a project.</div><div style="margin: 10px; padding: 0px;">“We kind of turn into a creative family by the end of the year,” said Michaud.</div><div style="margin: 10px; padding: 0px;">While he cannot take credit for his students’ successes, Michaud acknowledged that it is exciting to see where students go from his class. Former students include Jetty Rae, Dan Henig, and Joshua Simmons.</div><div style="margin: 10px; padding: 0px;">Rae has been a featured artist in multiple festivals and events including being picked by Sarah McLachlan and Terry McBride as a local artist to perform at Lilith Fair in 2010. She has released several albums.&nbsp;Henig is an Ann Arbor-based singer/songwriter who achieved Internet fame when his cover of “Get Low” by Lil Jon and The East Side Boyz went viral.</div></div>Spencer Michaudhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00325805919746547881noreply@blogger.com0